March 2018

The European Commission (EC) is determined that tech companies like Facebook and Google don’t get a free ride, but its proposed digital tax plan could create tax risks for both governments and companies.

The OECD plans to achieve an international consensus by 2020 on taxing the digital economy, but this ambitious timeline is unrealistic, say experts. The OECD’s David Bradbury defends the organisation’s approach in an exclusive conversation with International Tax Review.

International Tax Review hosted its first Women in Tax Forum in New York on March 1. The event kick-started a month of celebrating the brilliant female minds in the sector, their take on some of the hottest tax matters, and insight into their leadership skills and how to be the best.

The US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is, in many ways, typical of tax authorities around the world – it’s not as well-resourced as it once was. It is being asked to do more with less, and it is turning to data analytics to help it better identify where it should focus its attention.

Doug O’Donnell, head of the large business and international (LB&I) department in the IRS, speaks to Joe Stanley-Smith about how he runs his large business and international department in the rapidly changing arenas of US and international tax.

Businesses love certainty. It allows them to plan and act on short, medium, and long-term strategies. The unexpected brings operational complexities they do not need. Recently, as taxation of the digital economy gathers pace it is a case of ‘expect the unexpected’ for digital businesses operating globally. Taxamo’s Iman Deschâtres and JP McCarthy explore the topic.

In recent years, the idea that offshore tax liabilities can easily be concealed from government revenue collectors has become a moribund concept. Huge data leaks increased international co-operation and developments such as FATCA and the global common reporting standard (CRS) have resulted in a situation where a person’s cross-border tax affairs are no longer fully secret.

The EU’s Economic and Financial Affairs (ECOFIN) Council has unanimously agreed on tax avoidance disclosure rules for intermediaries. For those selling tax avoidance schemes, the move is a game-changer. Both in-house and private practice tax advisers could be caught out by the rules.

ITR's research team has begun work on the Tax Controversy Leaders guide, Indirect Tax Leaders guide and Women in Tax Leaders guide. This is your chance to nominate the individuals who offer the best tax advice.

Technology evolves at an impressive speed, a fact that is generating a certain mismatch between the rules governing the sector and reality. In this situation, the taxation applying to transactions with digital goods and merchandise in Brazil is a challenge.

The OECD has released new rules requiring lawyers, financial advisers, accountants, banks and other service providers to let tax authorities know about any schemes that help clients avoid reporting under the common reporting standard (CRS).

Advisory firms are unhappy with retroactive elements of the OECD's new mandatory disclosure rules (MDRs). Many believe the new rules will lead to a higher workload for tax authorities and advisers alike.